SWNOVELXO Chapter 6: A Path to Escape
Riu Xian slipped quietly through the outer sect grounds, his attempt to infiltrate the inner sect having ended in failure. The numerous guards patrolling the area and the complex spiritual restrictions made it impossible for someone of his current abilities to even approach the library, let alone enter it.
Frustration simmered beneath his calm facade as he retreated to his dorm, a small, weathered hut on the outskirts of the outer sect. Nestled in a remote corner, it was far removed from the bustling main grounds and the faint spiritual energy that lingered there. This dorm was a reflection of the body's past—a weak, low-ranking cultivator with no status or resources.
He pushed open the creaking door and stepped inside. The hut was sparse, with only a simple cot, a wooden table, and a few personal items left behind by the body's original owner. Sitting on the cot, Riu Xian leaned back against the wall, his mind racing.
"I should've known better," he murmured. "Breaking into the inner sect was nothing but a pipe dream. The library, the artifact, the Supreme Elder's secrets… they're all beyond my reach for now."
He closed his eyes, letting the weight of his situation sink in. The Cloudspring Sect was on the brink of war, and staying here would be akin to signing his death warrant. He didn't belong to this world, and he certainly didn't owe the sect anything.
"I have to escape before the war begins," he thought. "This sect means nothing to me. I'm not from this world, and the original owner of this body… he was just a boy with nowhere else to go. An orphan, taken in by the sect out of convenience."
Riu Xian's thoughts drifted to the fragmented memories of the body's previous owner. The boy had been hired at the age of thirteen to do menial tasks—cleaning, fetching supplies, and other handyman work. It wasn't until he reached the Qi Gathering realm by sheer perseverance that he was accepted as an outer sect disciple.
Despite his lowly status, there was something extraordinary about this body. The unique constitution he had discovered could not have been a mere coincidence. "The sect dismissed him as a weakling," Riu Xian mused, "but this body holds potential. His parents… whoever they were, they must have been remarkable. That kind of constitution doesn't appear out of nowhere."
A faint smile tugged at his lips, tinged with both curiosity and determination. "Or maybe there's another reason for it—a deeper mystery tied to this world. Either way, it's something I need to uncover. But not here. Not now."
The faint rustling of leaves outside drew his attention, but it was just the wind passing through the trees. The sect was quieter than usual, the tension of the impending war hanging heavy in the air. Riu Xian took a deep breath, steeling his resolve.
"This place isn't my home," he thought. "It never was. The boy stayed here because he had no choice, but I do. I won't die for a sect that didn't care for him or me. I'll find a way to leave and carve out my own path in this world. And when the time comes, I'll return—stronger, wiser, and ready to uncover the truth behind this body and its potential."
With his decision made, Riu Xian began to plan his escape. The chaos of the looming conflict might work to his advantage, providing the distraction he needed to slip away unnoticed. He didn't know where the path would lead, but one thing was certain: he wouldn't stay caught in the storm.
The hut fell silent as Riu Xian closed his eyes, the faint glow of dawn creeping through the cracks in the walls. In this world of cultivators and chaos, survival came first. Everything else could wait.